Cindy See column: Loop systems improve hearing in noisy settings

Cindy See

Question: I wear a hearing aid but I often can't clearly hear public address announcements. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: You might benefit from a hearing loop, also known as an induction or audio loop. These devices, increasingly being found in churches and other public places, provide a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid.

Today's digital hearing aids effectively enhance hearing in quiet, conversational settings. But for many people with hearing loss, the sound becomes unclear when auditorium or even TV speakers are at a distance, when the surroundings are noisy, or when room acoustics reverberate sound.

A hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to the 'T' (Telecoil) setting. The loop system consists of a microphone to pick up the spoken word and an amplifier, which processes the signal, which is then sent through the final piece, the loop cable. This is a wire placed around the perimeter of a room or sanctuary to act as an antenna that radiates the magnetic signal to the hearing aid.

This type of system functions much like Wi-Fi does for wireless Internet service. When a hearing aid user selects the 'T' setting found on most newer hearing aids, he or she can pick up the sounds spoken into the PA system's microphone instead of the hearing aid's internal microphone. This results in improved speech understanding because the listener receives a clear signal without any background noise.

The United States has lagged behind Europe, where thousands of hearing loops are already in use, including one at Westminster Abbey. The church setting is ideal for hearing loops because of their typically poor acoustic properties. Most churches can install a hearing loop in their sanctuaries for little or no more than the cost of one pair of high-end hearing aids, although a large facility with embedded metal will be more expensive.

According to Fox Valley Hearing Loop, an advocacy group based in Oshkosh, facilities with hearing loops in our area include Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids, First Presbyterian Church and Faith Fellowship in Marshfield, and the Portage County Public Library in Stevens Point.

Individuals also can install a hearing loop in their homes for $100 to $300. This can dramatically enhance their ability to hear their TV or music systems.

Hearing advocates are pushing for more loop systems. In New York City, for example, the Taxi & Limousine Commission approved hearing loops for cab drivers who want to install them in their vehicles. These systems also are being placed at information booths in the New York subway system.

For more information about hearing loops as well as other hearing assistance devices, call 800-273-5245 or 715-387-5371.

Cindy See is an audiologist at Marshfield Clinic Wisconsin Rapids Center. This column provides health information and is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for care from your health care provider.

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Cindy See column: Loop systems improve hearing in noisy settings

Question: I wear a hearing aid but I often can't clearly hear public address announcements. Do you have any suggestions? Answer: You might benefit from a hearing loop, also known as an induction or

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